Track for floor truck dragline conveyors

ABSTRACT

A TRACK MEMBER, USED FOR A DRAGLINE CONVEYOR PROPELLING TOW PIN EQUIPPED FLOOR TRUCKS, WHICH IS OF ONE PIECE CONSTRUCTION, HAVING A U-SHAPED CROSS SECTION INCORPORATING A TOW PIN GUIDE SLOT, A CHAIN SUPPORTING BASE PORTION AND CHAIN GUIDING SAID PORTIONS HAVING INTEGRALLY FORMED ANCHORING MEANS WHICH ENABLE THE TRACK MEMBER TO BE EXPEDITIOUSLY PLACED IN A POURED FLOOR. PREFERABLY, THE ANCHORING MEANS ARE RIBS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY ALONG THE SIDE PORTIONS OF THE TRACK MEMBER AND PROJECTING INWARDLY TOWARD THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE THEREOF, THE RIBS BEING CAPABLE OF PERFORMING A GUIDING FUNCTION ON THE CHAIN.

Nov. 23, 1971 M. PAcHU'rA 3,621,791

TRACK FOR FLOOR TRUCK DRAGLINE CONVEYORS Find Jan. 21, 1969 1 .VQ if: Z

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i VIIIIIII NVE/VTOR MA//V PACA/UTA A TTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,621,791 TRACK FOR FLOOR TRUCK DRAGLINE CONVEYORS Martin Pachuta, Allen Park, Mich., assignor to Jervis B. Webb Company Filed Jan. 21, 1969, Ser. No. 792,397 Int. Cl. B61b 9/00 U.S. Cl. 104-172 BT 3 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A track member, used for a dragline conveyor propelling tow pin equipped floor trucks, which is of one piece construction, having a U-shaped cross section incorporating a tow pin guide slot, a chainl supporting base portion and chain guiding said portions having integrally formed anchoring means which enable the track member to be expeditiously placed in a poured floor. Preferably, the anchoring means are ribs extending longitudinally along the side portions of the track member and projecting inwardly toward the longitudinal center line thereof, the ribs being capable of performing a guiding function on the chain.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention This invention relates to an improved construction for a track member used to support and guide a dragline chain for propelling tow pin equipped trucks across a floor or other surface in which the track member is embedded.

(2) Description of the prior art There are two general types of dragline tracks-one in which the dragline chain is supported for sliding movement by the track, and another in which the track supports trolleys connected to the dragline chain. Past constructions of either type have been characterized by the use 0f a multiplicity of structural members which must be assembled together to form the track section, and this assembly must in turn be positioned and anchored so that when the oor is poured, the track will be securely located in place. Examples of such prior constructions may be found in U.S. Pats. 1,000,106; 3,265,013; and 3,389,662.

The present invention aims to provide a track member incorporating a guide slot, chain supporting and guiding portions and means for anchoring the track member all in one unitary construction, offering the additional advantage of extending to a relatively shallow depth in a poured -tloor in which the track member is embedded.

SUMMARY O-F THE INVENTION A track member constructed in accordance -with the invention includes a chain supporting base portion, a pair of transversely spaced chain guiding portions formed integrally with the base portion and extending generally perpendicular thereto, and anchoring means integrally formed on the side portions. Each side portion further includes terminal flanges turned inwardly toward the other side portion and downwardly toward the base portion, the down turned flanges being spaced to either side of the longitudinal center line of the track member and defining a guide slot for the tow pin of a floor truck. The anchoring means preferably comprises a rib on each side portion extending longitudinally of the track member, the ribs projecting inwardly toward the longitudinal center line of the track member and also functioning to maintain the dragline chain in substantially centered relation with the guide slot.

-Other features and advantages of the invention will 3,621,791 Patented Nov. 23, 1971 appear from the description to follow of the embodiment disclosed in the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE 4DRAWING The drawing comprises the following views:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a dragline conveyor incorporating a track member constructed in accordance Iwith the invention, taken as indicated by the line 1-1 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken on the line 2 2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational similar to FIG. 2 but showing an alternate construction.

DESCRIPTION `OF THE PREFER-RED EMBODIMENTS In FIGS. l and 2 a conveyor track member 10 of the invention is shown embedded in a poured concrete oor 11. A conventional floor truck (not shown) equipped with a vertically movable tow pin 12 is adapted to be propelled across the upper surface 14 of the oor by a dragline chain 16 supported and guided by the track 10, suitable abutments or pus-hers 17 being provided on the chain to engage the tow pin.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the track member 10 has a transverse section of generally U-shape suitable for forming by rolling equipment. This sectional configuration of the track member 10 provides a base portion 18 and a pair of side portions 19 and 20 formed integrally with the base portion and extending generally perpendicular thereto. The base portion 18 supports the chain through a chain-engaging wear bar 22 mounted on the base portion; while the side portions 19 and 20 guide the chain.

These side portions 19 and 20 each include integral terminal -anges 23 and 24, the ange 23 being turned inwardly toward the longitudinal center line of the track member, and the lflange 24 being turned downwardly toward the base portion 18 of the track member, the down turned flanges '24 together forming the walls of a guide slot for the floor truck tow pin 12. The downturned flanges 24 also function to limit upward movement of the chain 16 away from the base portion 18 of the track member, as the ends 25 of these flanges are spaced apart a distance less than the width of the chain and will be engaged thereby upon lifting movement of the chain. Such movement can result from engagement of a pusher 17 with a tow pin or from the chain traversing a vertical curve in the track member.

The side portions 19 and 20 also have means for anchoring the track member formed thereon and which in the construction shown comprises a longitudinally extending rib 26 on each side portion. These ribs 26 preferably project inwardly toward the longitudinal center line of the track member 10, have a suicient depth to form an interlocking engagement between the track member 10 and the floor 11 after the latter is poured; and are located above the base portion 18 a distance such that the inner surfaces 28 of the ribs 26 are capable of guiding engagement with the chain 16, these inner surfaces 28 thus serving to maintain the chain in substantially centered relation with the guide slot, with the ends 25 of the anges 24, and with the upper surface of the wear plate 22. The chain guiding function perfor-med by the inner surfaces 28 of the ribs 26 also serves to reduce the area of surface contact between the chain and track member.

FIG. 3 merely illustrates that the employment of a wear bar 22 on the base portion 18 of the track member is optional, this construction otherwise corresponding in all respects to that shown in FIG. 2 and described above. Other modications would obviously include a redimensioning of the track member 10 in order to employ it with a dragline chain supported on wheels or trolleys such as illustrated in Pat. 2,965,043 where a sliding engagement between the chain and track member is replaced by rolling of wheels secured to the chain vwith the track member base portion.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dragline conveyor having a track and a chain mounted therein, the improvement wherein said track comprises a member having:

a base portion including a chain supporting surface;

a pair of upstanding transversely spaced side portions, each side portion including terminal flanges turned inwardly toward the other side portion and downwardly toward the base portion to dene the sides of a guide slot;

said side portions each being formed with a longitudinally extending, inwardly projecting rib having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surfaces of said ribs being located adjacent the sides of the chain and being engageable by the chain to maintain the chain in relatively centered relation with the guide slot, and the outer surfaces of the ribs providing means for anchoring the track membei'.

2. A dragline conveyor according to claim 9 wherein said chain supporting surface is provided'by a Wear plate secured to the base portion, said longitudinally extending ribs being capable of maintaining the chain in substantially centered relation with the wear plate.

3. \A dragline conveyor according to claim 2 wherein the spacing between the pair of downturned anges dening the sides of a guide slot is less than the width of the dragline chain whereby said downturned anges are capable of limiting movement of the dragline chain away from the base portion of the track member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,082,281 6/1937 Frank 191--23 3,077,165 2/ 1963 Vittorelli 104-247 3,380,396 4/1968 Willis 104-172 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner R. SAIFER, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 104-140 

